in lass week's debate and an opportunity to see going forward is the promise of this election for obama was that he could use this to create a public dialogue about the issue of taxing the wealthy. it has been 22 years now since a single republican member of congress has voted for a tax increase of any kind, an income tax increase. if you're going to have any kind of a long-term deal, a long-term dif set deal, which is what everybody -- not everybody, but a lot of people on both sides who say this is what they want. if you're going to, it will include a tax component on the wealthy. >> if obama campaigns on that and wins and if democrats hold the senate and make gains in the house, that could ratchet up pressure on republicans to make some kind of deal. otherwise, you have the other thing. it's a myth that nothing is going to happen in the lame duck, because if they take democrat off and congress doesn't show up, a lot will happen. december 31st, the expiration of the bush tax cuts. they go away if nothing happens. something ahas to happen. >> i find it extremely rich to hear john boehn